In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country
The French term “reconstruction” has two different meanings, both of which are in common usage. Its older meaning refers to the physical act of rebuilding what has been damaged or destroyed, as a like-for-like replacement. A more modern meaning suggests a more structural and systematic process. The...
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| Argitaratua izan da: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/ces, |
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| Formatua: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Hizkuntza: | Anglais |
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Commonwealth Essays and Studies
2019
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| Sarrera elektronikoa: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:ces_296 |
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openedition |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:ces_296 https://doi.org/10.4000/ces.296 urn:doi:10.4000/ces.296 en https://journals.openedition.org/ces/296 2019-11-05T01:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/dsvm https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country Commonwealth Essays and Studies SEPC (Société d’études des pays du Commonwealth) info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2534-6695 info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2270-0633 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/ces Zinck, Pascal The French term “reconstruction” has two different meanings, both of which are in common usage. Its older meaning refers to the physical act of rebuilding what has been damaged or destroyed, as a like-for-like replacement. A more modern meaning suggests a more structural and systematic process. The present paper posits that understanding the differences between the two is helpful in post-conflict resolution and reconciliation. To provide a long-term approach to fractures and vulnerabilities, a nation must not only open a Pandora’s box of legal accountability. Reconstruction ultimately poses the challenge of redefining national identity. Romesh Gunesekera’s Noontide Toll explores such issues in the context of the three decade-long civil war between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). Gunesekera’s choice of the short fiction form over the novel reflects the precariousness of the survivors’ disjointed experiences. As the ubiquitous driver demonstrates by looking at the road ahead while forever looking in the rear-view mirror, reconstruction is a trial and error, non-linear route that tries to steer clear of both amnesia and the trauma of nostalgia. This paper highlights the State’s rebuilding strategy which marginalizes the evacuees and antagonizes the Tamil minority with its one-dimensional war museography. |
| collection |
OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| description |
The French term “reconstruction” has two different meanings, both of which are in common usage. Its older meaning refers to the physical act of rebuilding what has been damaged or destroyed, as a like-for-like replacement. A more modern meaning suggests a more structural and systematic process. The present paper posits that understanding the differences between the two is helpful in post-conflict resolution and reconciliation. To provide a long-term approach to fractures and vulnerabilities, a nation must not only open a Pandora’s box of legal accountability. Reconstruction ultimately poses the challenge of redefining national identity. Romesh Gunesekera’s Noontide Toll explores such issues in the context of the three decade-long civil war between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). Gunesekera’s choice of the short fiction form over the novel reflects the precariousness of the survivors’ disjointed experiences. As the ubiquitous driver demonstrates by looking at the road ahead while forever looking in the rear-view mirror, reconstruction is a trial and error, non-linear route that tries to steer clear of both amnesia and the trauma of nostalgia. This paper highlights the State’s rebuilding strategy which marginalizes the evacuees and antagonizes the Tamil minority with its one-dimensional war museography. |
| author |
Zinck, Pascal |
| spellingShingle |
Zinck, Pascal In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| author_facet |
Zinck, Pascal |
| author_sort |
Zinck, Pascal |
| title |
In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| title_short |
In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| title_full |
In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| title_fullStr |
In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| title_full_unstemmed |
In Romesh Gunesekera’s Ghost Country |
| title_sort |
in romesh gunesekera’s ghost country |
| publisher |
Commonwealth Essays and Studies |
| publishDate |
2019 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/ces |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/ces.296 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/ces/296 |
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